P03AF Ford Popular Diagnostic Trouble Code

P03AF Ford Popular code definition:
P03AF is a kind of OBD-II Diagnostic P-Powertrain Diagnostic Trouble Code for Ford Popular.

P03AF Ford Popular is described as Fuel System Too Rich, which basically means bank 1's oxygen sensor has detected a rich condition of fuel. This means there's not enough oxygen in the exhaust from too much fuel being delivered into the air and gas mixture for combusion. There are two wires dedicated for each coil; one is battery feed which usually comes from the distribution center, and the other one for the coil driver circuit from the PCM. The PCM grounds or ungrounds the circuit to activate or deactivate the coil.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a P03AF Ford Popular diagnostic trouble code may include:

Faulty PCM
The light may stay on or light intermittently as the DPF regenerates. The engine will be sluggish on acceleration.
Poor acceleration
Rich or lean exhaust

Possible Causes :

The Mass Airflow sensor will also cause this problem. Mass Airflow circuit malfunction.
Fuel with a large percentage of sulfur will clog the DPF quickly
A large air leak at or near the number one oxygen sensor would also cause a lean mixture.

Common Misdiagnoses

IC Circuit High Voltage Problem
Control Module Throttle Actuator Position Performance Problem
Air Conditioning (A/C) Clutch Feedback Circuit High Voltage Problem
Cruise Vehicle Speed/Set Speed Difference Too High Problem
PCM Stack Overrun Problem

Repair Processes :

Find out what kind of system you have and verify that voltage to the fuel level sensor is present at the fuel pump wiring harness. Look at the plug wires to make sure they are not burnt or laying on the exhaust. You might continue by connecting the scanner to the vehicle diagnostic connector and retrieving all stored codes and freeze frame data.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code P03AF Ford Popular is not difficult to diagnose and repair. Thus, it always pays to have a qualified technician to look after your vehicle should this error code arise.

Diagnosing this code requires the engine to be in good running shape, without unmetered air entering the engine. If other codes that relates to misfiring condition, lean running or air entering the engine is present, then you must first fix those error codes before P03AF Ford Popular.

Fortunately, P03AF Ford Popular is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.